Hickory Speedway
Hickory, NC, USA
Track History
Hickory Speedway is one of the most hallowed proving grounds in stock car racing, a short track in the North Carolina foothills that has been developing future champions since the 1950s. The Cup Series visited Hickory during the era when the schedule was packed with Carolina short tracks, and the racing it produced was among the toughest anywhere. Hickory's tight layout rewards racecraft and aggression in measures that only the most talented drivers can balance. The track has earned the nickname Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars, and the list of drivers who honed their skills on this surface reads like a hall of fame roll call. Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt, and countless others learned the art of short-track racing at Hickory, carrying lessons from these tight quarters to the biggest stages in the sport. What makes Hickory special is not any single feature but the relentless standard of competition that has persisted for over seven decades.
Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference
Top Drivers at Hickory Speedway
Jack Ingram leads all drivers at Hickory Speedway with 8 wins across 34 starts.
All-time stats across Cup, O'Reilly & Trucks (min 3 starts)
| Driver | Races | Wins | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Ingram | 34 | 8 | 6.4 |
| Tommy Houston | 38 | 8 | 8 |
| Junior Johnson | 20 | 7 | 9.5 |
| Richard Petty | 22 | 5 | 5.6 |
| David Pearson | 12 | 4 | 4.8 |
Race Winners (1953-1998)
Hickory Speedway has crowned 37 different Cup Series winners since 1953.
| Year | Race | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Galaxy Food Centers 300 | Ed Berrier |
| 1997 | Galaxy Foods 300 | Dick Trickle |
| 1996 | Sundrop 300 | David Green |
| 1995 | Sundrop 400 | Johnny Benson Jr. |
| 1994 | The Pantry 300 | Dennis Setzer |
| 1994 | Sundrop 400 | Ricky Craven |
| 1993 | The Pantry 300 | Johnny Rumley |
| 1993 | Mountain Dew 400 | Steve Grissom |
| 1992 | Mountain Dew 400 | Tommy Houston |
| 1992 | The Pantry 300 | Bobby Labonte |
| 1991 | Mountain Dew 400 | Butch Miller |
| 1991 | Granger Select 400 | Jimmy Hensley |
| 1990 | Granger Select 200 | Chuck Bown |
| 1990 | Mountain Dew 400 | Tommy Houston |
| 1989 | Mountain Dew 400 | Jimmy Spencer |
| 1989 | Pepsi 200 | Tommy Ellis |
| 1988 | Pepsi 200 | Tommy Houston |
| 1988 | Mountain Dew 400 | Mike Alexander |
| 1987 | Mountain Dew 400 | Jack Ingram |
| 1987 | Bobby Isaac Memorial 200 | Dale Jarrett |
| 1986 | Bobby Isaac Memorial 200 | Jack Ingram |
| 1986 | Goody's 200 | Tommy Houston |
| 1986 | Mountain Dew 400 | Ronnie Silver |
| 1985 | Goody's 200 | Larry Pearson |
| 1985 | Southern Biscuit Flour 200 | Tommy Houston |
| 1985 | Mountain Dew 400 | Jimmy Hensley |
| 1985 | Bobby Isaac Memorial 200 | Ronnie Silver |
| 1984 | Mountain Dew 200 | Jack Ingram |
| 1984 | Goody's 200 | Jack Ingram |
| 1984 | Bobby Isaac Memorial/Pepsi Cola 200 | Larry Pearson |
| 1984 | Benny Yount Chrysler-Plymouth 200 | Tommy Houston |
| 1983 | Benny Yount Chrysler-Plymouth 200 | Jack Ingram |
| 1983 | Bobby Isaac Memorial/Pepsi 400 | Tommy Houston |
| 1983 | Mountian Dew 400 | Tommy Ellis |
| 1983 | Shoney's 200 | Tommy Ellis |
| 1983 | Goody's 200 | Sam Ard |
| 1982 | Sunkist 200 | Morgan Shepherd |
| 1982 | Mountain Dew 300 | Jack Ingram |
| 1982 | Bobby Isaac Memorial 200 | Jack Ingram |
| 1982 | Southern Auto Racing News 200 | Jack Ingram |
| 1982 | Goody's 200 | Tommy Houston |
| 1982 | Winston 200 | John Settlemyre |
| 1971 | Hickory 276 | Richard Petty |
| 1971 | Buddy Shuman 276 | Tiny Lund |
| 1970 | Hickory 276 | Bobby Isaac |
| 1970 | Buddy Shuman 276 | Bobby Isaac |
| 1969 | Hickory 250 | Bobby Isaac |
| 1969 | Buddy Shuman Memorial | Bobby Isaac |
| 1968 | Hickory 250 | Richard Petty |
| 1968 | Buddy Shuman 250 | David Pearson |
| 1967 | 91 Miles at Hickory Speedway | Richard Petty |
| 1967 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Richard Petty |
| 1966 | Hickory 250 | David Pearson |
| 1966 | Buddy Shuman 250 | David Pearson |
| 1965 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Richard Petty |
| 1965 | Hickory 250 | Junior Johnson |
| 1964 | Buddy Shuman 250 | David Pearson |
| 1964 | Hickory 250 | Ned Jarrett |
| 1963 | Hickory 250 | Junior Johnson |
| 1963 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Junior Johnson |
| 1962 | Hickory 250 | Jack Smith |
| 1962 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Rex White |
| 1961 | Hickory 250 | Junior Johnson |
| 1961 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Rex White |
| 1960 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Junior Johnson |
| 1960 | Hickory 250 | Joe Weatherly |
| 1959 | Hickory 250 | Junior Johnson |
| 1959 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Lee Petty |
| 1958 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Lee Petty |
| 1957 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Jack Smith |
| 1956 | 73 Miles at Hickory Speedway | Speedy Thompson |
| 1956 | Buddy Shuman 250 | Speedy Thompson |
| 1956 | 73 Miles at Hickory Speedway | Tim Flock |
| 1955 | 73 Miles at Hickory Speedway | Junior Johnson |
| 1954 | 73 Miles at Hickory Speedway | Herb Thomas |
| 1953 | 73 Miles at Hickory Speedway | Tim Flock |
| 1953 | 73 Miles at Hickory Speedway | Fonty Flock |
Race Dynamics
Short tracks feature close-quarters racing with higher caution rates. Aggressive drivers and bump-and-run tactics thrive here. Strong restarts and late-race speed are essential. Track-specific history matters more here than at any other track type.
Top Rated Drivers at Hickory Speedway
No NR-Rating driver data available for this track yet.
Similar Tracks
Track similarity data not yet available.
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